The present invention relates to microfluidic devices. In one example, the present invention provides microfluidic control structures for effectively implementing sample preparation, processing, detection and analysis systems.
Conventional mechanisms for microfluidic analysis are limited. Some available mechanisms include single channel separation devices and multiple channel separation devices. Others include analyzers that integrate some sample preparation and analysis steps. However, many microfluidic analysis devices that include fluidic control capabilities are chemically or physically incompatible with many chemical or biochemical assays. In addition, many microfluidic control elements are difficult to fabricate in dense arrays because of limitations in the fabrication process, robustness, and/or design. Many conventional devices require constant actuation to maintain fluidic control. A microfluidic device utilizing such valves can not be removed from its control system without losing control of the fluidic contents of the device. In addition, many techniques and mechanisms for microfluidic analysis furthermore lack sensitivity, specificity, or quantitative analysis capabilities. In particular, conventional microfluidic analysis mechanisms lack the functionality and capabilities to efficiently implement sample preparation for systems such as pathogen detectors and analyzers.
It is therefore desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus for implementing microfluidic control mechanisms such as valves, pumps, routers, reactors, etc. to allow effective integration of sample introduction, preparation processing, and analysis capabilities in a microfluidic device. In one example, it is desirable to provide microfluidic devices having microfabrication efficiencies that can be used to implement both single channel and array based systems that can be used as pathogen detectors and analyzers that provide few false positives, high throughput and inexpensive continuous monitoring.